They were being transferred to the Greenwood prison from the state penitentiary in Parchman.

Earlier this year, Gov. Haley Barbour and the state Department of Corrections began efforts to revive the facility, which was closed by the state in 2002. It was operated by a private company, the Nashville-based Corrections Corp. of America, and the same firm recently was rehired to run Delta Correctional.

The prison, which will house 950 medium-security inmates, is not completely ready, according to Carolyn McAdams of Greenwood, prison information officer.

McAdams said because renovation of the facility is not complete, it is operating only one building and is only partly staffed as of now.

The prison is expected to bring 180 to 200 jobs to Leflore County. McAdams said it currently has 75 employees who transferred to the facility from the Tallahatchie Correctional Facility, including herself.

"People are ecstatic because the facility is re-opening," including those who worked there before the prison was closed, said McAdams.

Jody Bradley, who was warden at the Wilkerson County Facility for about four years, is the new warden at Delta. Before coming to Delta, he was warden at Norfolk Corrections Facility in Oklahoma.

McAdams said the process of transferring inmates from Parchman is expected to go on for about 10 to 11 weeks.

Corrections Corporations of America has a one-year contract to manage the prison with two optional one year extensions.

"CCA is proud and happy to be partnering with Mississippi Department of Corrections to manage the facility," said McAdams.

She said an open house will be held as soon as the facility is completely ready.